You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammer and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
Note: Like Execution of Justice, the dramatic action in this play is organized to flow differently from that of other plays this semester. For one thing, Hwang has built his play around himself and quotes from the New York Times and other media sources. And like Execution of Justice this approach to the construction of a play is unique and often challenging to readers. I think the approach is generally effective. It is also suited to be examined thru Ball’s method of analysis. However, I will keep the same set of questions in tact that were asked of Execution.
1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve?
The play opens in darkness with the Dong people singing a track in the background. Lights come up and the actors are seated on the stage. The set is placed in Los Angeles during the 90s. David Hwang is examining an email he has received from Marcus. Marcus proceeds to read a loud an email he sent to David about his trip to China. Hwang the continues to examine Marcus as a person. He offers ideas to where is he now, especially because he says many Asian-Americans do not know what happened to him. David then proceeds to encounter new people and emails to paint a picture that he not completely accepted by his community either.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Yellow Face and how is it broken?
The stasis of the play is broken when David remembers how he discovered he cast a white man to play an Asian-American. He discovery of this mistake cause the plot to come to fruition. David is committed to covering this mistake up. He does not want to look as if he does not repeat his own race. The intrusion also causes Hwang to force a new identity onto Marcus. This identity raises many questions, and it is a primary fuel source the plot of Yellow Face. This event also encourages Hwang to examine issues in his own life, especially the ones he discovers when talking to his dad. His dad could be argued to be disillusioned by the American Dream, thus Hwang himself is worried about their stance in the nation.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
What is unique about this day is that a white man is cast to played an Asian-American lead. Hwang does this by accident and it propels the play. He is shocked that he would be so ignorant to cast a white man in an Asian-Americans role. This comes as a major slug to his morale, because he publicly disapproved of the recent decision by Miss Saigon to have some "white" influence. The title alludes to the fact that the yellow face is attached to someone that does not identify with that group, in order to propel the idea that people often times take on other cultures for themselves.
4. State the dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question is: Will Marcus' discovery as a white man lead to the prosperity or failure? It is important to try to answer this question, but this is an interesting debate about our roles in the administrator. Eventually this question is answered and we are able to see the harm Marcus has done to Hwang's identity and shed life on his own life's insecurities. Essentially the plot of this story revolves around this single idea that Marcus can pass as an Asian-American.
5. Use Hwang’s “character” to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Hwang faces many struggles. He first faces himself as an individual, because he blames himself for the casting of Marcus, a white guy. Hwang wants to have a great play, so he picks the actor that appeals to him the most. Yet, he is greatly troubled with himself because he saw himself as an expert on Asian-American theatre. Furthermore, Hwang must risk the threat of people discovering he is not white . Hwang goes into a battle now against society for how they will judge him if they find out this resolution. He wants for the whole thing to go away, thus he tries to cover up his mistake. It can be argued that Hwang faces nature as well. He is going against nature by making someone a different race than he actually is. Hwang later wants the truth to come out, thus he will have to fight against Marcus who has grown comfortable his new role.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Yellow Face.
The discovery by Hwang that Marcus is actually white. - This scenes is the major driving force of the whole play, thus an important part of the dramatics.
The arguments of Hwang and Marcus. - The two later have a argument with each other and they are yelling over each other. This creates a battle between the characters that reveals true emotions.
The forging of fake names and religious descent. - The fact that Hwang tries to justify why Marcus looks so white by being from Siberia is outlandish. This immediately would cause the audience to attach themselves to the lives of the characters in order to see how their lives turn out.
SLB Yellow Face
You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammer and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
Note: Like Execution of Justice, the dramatic action in this play is organized to flow differently from that of other plays this semester. For one thing, Hwang has built his play around himself and quotes from the New York Times and other media sources. And like Execution of Justice this approach to the construction of a play is unique and often challenging to readers. I think the approach is generally effective. It is also suited to be examined thru Ball’s method of analysis. However, I will keep the same set of questions in tact that were asked of Execution.
1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve?
The play opens in darkness with the Dong people singing a track in the background. Lights come up and the actors are seated on the stage. The set is placed in Los Angeles during the 90s. David Hwang is examining an email he has received from Marcus. Marcus proceeds to read a loud an email he sent to David about his trip to China. Hwang the continues to examine Marcus as a person. He offers ideas to where is he now, especially because he says many Asian-Americans do not know what happened to him. David then proceeds to encounter new people and emails to paint a picture that he not completely accepted by his community either.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Yellow Face and how is it broken?
The stasis of the play is broken when David remembers how he discovered he cast a white man to play an Asian-American. He discovery of this mistake cause the plot to come to fruition. David is committed to covering this mistake up. He does not want to look as if he does not repeat his own race. The intrusion also causes Hwang to force a new identity onto Marcus. This identity raises many questions, and it is a primary fuel source the plot of Yellow Face. This event also encourages Hwang to examine issues in his own life, especially the ones he discovers when talking to his dad. His dad could be argued to be disillusioned by the American Dream, thus Hwang himself is worried about their stance in the nation.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
What is unique about this day is that a white man is cast to played an Asian-American lead. Hwang does this by accident and it propels the play. He is shocked that he would be so ignorant to cast a white man in an Asian-Americans role. This comes as a major slug to his morale, because he publicly disapproved of the recent decision by Miss Saigon to have some "white" influence. The title alludes to the fact that the yellow face is attached to someone that does not identify with that group, in order to propel the idea that people often times take on other cultures for themselves.
4. State the dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question is: Will Marcus' discovery as a white man lead to the prosperity or failure? It is important to try to answer this question, but this is an interesting debate about our roles in the administrator. Eventually this question is answered and we are able to see the harm Marcus has done to Hwang's identity and shed life on his own life's insecurities. Essentially the plot of this story revolves around this single idea that Marcus can pass as an Asian-American.
5. Use Hwang’s “character” to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Hwang faces many struggles. He first faces himself as an individual, because he blames himself for the casting of Marcus, a white guy. Hwang wants to have a great play, so he picks the actor that appeals to him the most. Yet, he is greatly troubled with himself because he saw himself as an expert on Asian-American theatre. Furthermore, Hwang must risk the threat of people discovering he is not white . Hwang goes into a battle now against society for how they will judge him if they find out this resolution. He wants for the whole thing to go away, thus he tries to cover up his mistake. It can be argued that Hwang faces nature as well. He is going against nature by making someone a different race than he actually is. Hwang later wants the truth to come out, thus he will have to fight against Marcus who has grown comfortable his new role.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Yellow Face.